Erdoğan condemns xenophobia after alleged child abuse

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged the public to avoid xenophobia after allegations surfaced on June 30 that a Syrian national molested a child in the central city of Kayseri.

"One cannot get anywhere with xenophobia in society," Erdoğan stated at a gathering of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the capital Ankara on July 1.

The Family and Social Services Ministry said the allegedly molested child, also a Syrian national, is under state protection, and authorities confirmed the suspect's arrest.

The incident occurred on June 30 in the Melikgazi district, sparking outrage among residents. Following the allegations, an angry crowd gathered, intent on seizing the suspect.

Security forces intervened to remove the suspect, but the crowd's actions escalated, resulting in overturned vehicles and fires in shops owned by Syrians.

"Vandalism, setting the streets on fire is unacceptable," Erdoğan said. "The reason for the situation caused by a small group in Kayseri yesterday is the poisonous discourse of the opposition... Resorting to hate speech for the sake of political gain is reprehensible," he added, emphasizing the importance of social peace.

Kayseri Governor Gökmen Çiçek arrived at the scene to calm the crowd, reporting that five police officers were injured during the unrest.

Çiçek, speaking from a nearby apartment balcony, urged the crowd to remain calm.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a social media post that 67 people were detained during the intervention.

After the abuse incident unfolded, the group “gathered in the area, acted illegally with an attitude unworthy of our human values and damaged houses, workplaces and vehicles belonging to Syrian nationals,” he said.

Local media footage showed an overturned vehicle and several damaged and burned shops. Police units were continuing to patrol the area to maintain heightened measures.

Erdoğan's remarks came as the AKP hosts the second leg of its "consultation camp" in the capital's Kızılcahamam, focusing on recent local election outcomes and party initiatives across various sectors.

Earlier this month, the first leg of the camp brought together AKP's senior party managers, founding members, parliamentarians and ministers. The session featured comprehensive presentations from key figures and concentrated on legislative activities.

The second leg shifts focus to mayors. Discussions will evaluate the results of the March 31 local elections.

The polls saw the AKP's vote share fall from 44.33 percent in 2019 to 35.48 percent, resulting in a second-place finish behind the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

Participants at the camp are expected to analyze the reasons for the vote decline and create a road map to address the challenges faced by local governments.

Following the camp, Erdoğan will attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan on July 3 and 4, where he is expected to hold bilateral meetings, including one with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.